It was April 2013 when I’mPOSSIBLE created a youth edition of its popular event series, ‘The I’mPOSSIBLE conversation’ which put girls of colour, on a panel to talk about their life journey’s and successes to inspire London school girls. The event even got a shout out from outgoing US president and his wife; Barack and Michelle Obama as it was an official event of the Bring Your Daughter’s to Work day initiative.

Since then, I’mPOSSIBLE has taken over 200 girls to the House of Commons in partnership with Diane Abbott MP to show them how POSSIBLE they are through their peers’ eyes. We return on Wednesday, December 8 to continue inspiring a generation in the UK home of power and politics.

Protecting, nurturing and safeguarding the POSSIBILITIES of girls and young women is one of the top priorities for I’mPOSSIBLE. Teaming up with Diane Abbott MPs ‘London Schools and the Black Child‘ (LSBC) initiative that is aimed at raising achievement levels of Black pupils in London and nationwide made sense. For over a decade, Diane has campaigned in Parliament to highlight the fact that black pupils face specific challenges in education and often do less well compared to their peers. Over the years, LSBC has held a number workshops, conferences and produced publications, especially designed to give parents, teachers and the community practical weapons in the fight for educational excellence for our children.

As you would expect, I’mPOSSIBLE has been able to bring together a trailblazing group of young women of colour to inspire, they are:

Florence studied Cosmetic Science at the London College of Fashion and graduated in 2013. Using her qualifications in chemistry and formulation and combining that with industry knowledge gained from working on beauty counters, Adepoju founded MDMflow in her final year of university.

Florence began by producing lipsticks from a converted lab in her shed and selling them online. Fast forward to three years of late nights and relentless work playing with pigment and perfecting the base formula, MDMflow is now sold in Harvey Nichols, Nasty Gal in the US, Mecca Cosmetica in Australia and Colette in Paris. Florence is passionate about promoting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) in schools and has worked on the EDF Pretty Curious Campaign and was a mentor for the United Nations International Day of the Girl at the Southbank Centre.

Clara Amfo is best known for her BBC Radio 1 show, which takes the 10am-1pm weekday Live Lounge slot. Having been awarded Radio Personality of the Year at the Glamour Awards 2016 for her work at Radio 1, she was also the host of the iconic BBC Radio 1 Chart Show – the second woman to do so since the show first started in 1967! Clara is also fast becoming a familiar face on our screens. This summer she joined the presenter team on BBC2 and BBC4 for Glastonbury 2016, which followed hosting the 2015 BBC3 festival coverage, including Radio 1’s Big Weekend and T in the Park.

Starting out her radio career at KISS FM presenting the overnight show, she quickly ascended to the Saturday Breakfast and drive time shows reaching audiences of 1 million on a weekly basis. In 2012 she was nominated for a Sony Radio ‘Rising Star’ Award, where judges said “her energy, understanding and obvious love of radio was absolutely infectious”.

Clara’s documentary’s include: Deeper than Skin for Radio 1Xtra, BBC Artsnight film about how the fame industry works, Beyond the Music: Musicals for BBC iPlayer and Running with Grief for Radio 1, all of which have received critical acclaim.

A Social Media Manager by day at Google UK and an entrepreneur by night. Mercedes Benson has managed to launch her own, self titled style blog ‘mercedesfbenson’ curate for Amsterdam based music platform ‘22tracks’ and DJ (self taught) as well as founding the unique music platform ‘FutureSNDS’, which celebrates new talent within the UK.

Born and raised in London, Benson was heavily influenced by fashion and music. She started out as a PR intern for Puma and then moved onto Adidas, where she honed her skills to become an influencer. This now has her consulting for numerous brands and projects and she’s considered a ‘voice of authority’ for her generation. Her natural flare for knowing what’s hot before it blows is what sets her apart.

Fast-forward 2 years and Mercedes continues to connect the dots by identifying new trends across the industry. MercedesFBenson is the official renaissance girl… all under the age of 30.

Since the official launch of her eponymous fitness and nutrition brand, ‘Just Geen’, Gina Obeng has transferred her passion for all things sweat and igniting physical change in her clients as a qualified personal trainer.

Following on from the success of her all inclusive, all empowering personal training schemes, Just Geen began organising her “Fun Days” in 2013 in a bid to encourage more people to get active. During these events, Gina managed to secure partnerships with sporting and nourishment giants, Adidas, Metcalfe’s Skinny Popcorn, Meridian Nut Butter and Vita Coco.

With high profile clients such as Konan (of Krept and Konan), Stormzy, Wretch 32 and Arsenal superstar Danny Wellbeck all placing orders at Just Geen’s Kitchen, the young entrepreneur has firmly secured her presence in this competitive field. Though there is never a shortage of food brands wanting to collaborate with Gina, she also provides a tailor made meal prep service, often supplying catering to her own events as well as others.

And the lady behind the brand? One word, authentic. With a highly relatable and inspiring story of turning heartbreak to muscle ache! Her ethos, strength and her determination to achieve are inspiring for all.

Alexis Oladipo, born and raised in Hackney, now living Essex, is the 29 year old, female founder and director of Gym Bites. Alexis’ ambition from her early 20s was to become a self sufficient, female, boss – and she made it.

After joining the Princes Trust Accelerator Enterprise in 2013, Alexis began building her very own healthy eating and wellbeing empire, Gym Bites. By providing individuals with healthy eating options for lunch and most importantly after a workout, Alexis was not only providing delicious healthy options, but also solving a problem – people are too busy to plan healthy meals that aid their active lifestyles.

What’s most unique about the brand is that each salad comes in a fun sized, recyclable plastic jar, equipped with a fork and dressing, ready for you to grab, go and enjoy!”

Jacqueline Shepherd is a lead anchor on Sky 1’s magazine show ‘What’s Up TV’ since 2012. Shepherd has earned her presenting stripes tackling a whole spectrum of subjects from FGM to football, music to marriage delivering everything with professionalism.

Jacqueline’s cool, credible and engaging demeanour reflects her genuine interest in social affairs and love of entertainment. A keen advocate of a number of good causes she strives to use her platform to raise the profile of matters she is passionate about and empower the under represented. To that end, her pride at embracing her natural hair has been a magnet for many observers and industry professionals and for Jacqueline supports a message of self-acceptance that she is passionate about. Her style, warm personality, husky voice and passion for embracing her natural self, coupled with her ease at straddling both a youth and adult audience means that her potential is unlimited.

Her relatable tone coupled with a highly distinctive voice has served her well and for four years she has been the UK voice of international TV channel Trace Sport Stars voicing their premium content, countdown shows and Friday evening continuity.

There is no other platform that is taking young girls of colour onto prestigious platforms to share their stories on success, triumph and life. The I’mPOSSIBLE conversation youth edition is a gem, one we work hard to treasure and maintain.

By their example, they show us that the worlds of music, film, architecture and publishing are our domains to be conquered. Bringing these women from all walks of life and generations together to share their life stories, their personal moments, their triumphs and failures, helps to clarify our own routes to success through physically seeing the embodiment of being POSSIBLE.

These women are not urban myths, they are not PR fodder, they are you and me, they forged a path in their arenas to not only dominate but, to be the best and to do it on their own terms.

Celebrating the life stories, successes and achievements of women of colour is a passion of ours and a much needed balance to the rhetoric around this group which we’ve been upholding since 2011.

A trailblazing and dynamic group of women whose voices are often ignored, shouted over or subsumed are gracing the I’mPOSSIBLE platform to give a October a ‘HERstory’ feel.

Our panel line-up is:

Cecile Emeke

is a director, writer and artist from London, who is most known for the global online documentary series ‘strolling‘ and the short film turned web series ‘ackee & saltfish’. Cecile’s work has featured everywhere from the New York Times, BBC, Shadow & Act, the Washington Post, Ebony Magazine, Fader, Nylon, Mashable Dazed, Afropunk, Okay Africa to the Tribeca Film Festival, the BFI London Film Festival, the American Black Film Festival, the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival, to the Brooklyn Museum, the Southbank Centre and more.

Taponeswa Mavunga

has spent the last year in Johannesburg working at Viacom Africa as Head Of Talent And Music – responsible for MTV, MTV Base and the newly launched BET Africa. During this time, she has worked very closely with Nigerian dancehall artist Patoranking who recently signed a worldwide distribution deal with VP Records and UK born, Nigerian based singer Seyi Shay newly signed to Universal Island. Prior to this, Taponeswa was at Atlantic Records UK for over a decade where she managed a variety of publicity campaigns for the likes of Jay Z, Sean Paul, Estelle, Ed Sheeran and Rudimental. Her work on the latter has won a Music Week Award for Best PR Campaign in 2014.

Kym Mazelle

Dubbed ‘the first lady of House music’, Mazelle Pioneered the music genre to Europe from the United States, in the late 80s. Born in Gary, Indiana, USA, Mazelle grew up on the same street as the Jackson family and knew several members.

Mazelle’s career started in Chicago during her last year at University. She worked with record producer Marshall Jefferson on the 1987 release ‘Taste My Love’ and in 1988, she released the single “Useless (I Don’t Need You Now)”, a hit on the club charts. Her next release, a year later, “Wait,” a duet with Robert Howard from The Blow Monkeys, peaked at #7 on the UK charts. In 1990, the single “Missing You” by Soul II Soul that Mazelle featured on, achieved major success worldwide and in 1996, Mazelle recorded a cover version of the song “Young Hearts Run Free” which appeared in the Baz Luhrmann film, ‘William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet’.

Mazelle still tours around England and has a dedicated and faithful following.

Lynette Nylander

Born on the outskirts of London, 25 year-old Lynette Nylander, is the managing editor of i-D magazine and has always been interested in personal style, brands and culture.

Excelling at all things creative, she spent her formative years learning musical instruments, studying for her distinctions from the Guildhall School of Speech and Drama. At 14, she won an AOL writing competition and was published to its global users. At 18, she obtained a place at the revered London College of Fashion studying Fashion Design and Marketing and interning with PR powerhouse Mandi Lennard for events for Alexander Wang, Supreme, Giles Deacon and Mattel. She then started her career in earnest, working for global fashion and entertainment and marketing firm, ‘Independent Talent Brands’. She then embarked on a career in editorial, joining the masthead at INDUSTRIE Magazine where she worked with the likes of photographers Inez and Vinoodh, Alasdair McLellan and Juergen Teller, models Joan Smalls and Cara Delavigne and writing features on Lara Stone and Emily Weiss. After three years, she rose from editorial co-ordinator to Managing Editor.

In 2014, she joined the iconic i-D magazine as Managing Editor for both print and online, which now boasts 5.2 million unique users. She has also interviewed the likes of Vivienne Westwood, Christopher Shannon, Nykhor Paul, Christiaan Houtenbos and more at her time for the magazine.

Lynette also contributes to other publications such as HighSnobiety, Humanity Magazine, INDUSTRIE as well as consulting for both upcoming and established brands and publications and lives and works in London.

Elsie Owusu OBE

a chartered architect and urban designer, Owusu is a partner at Feilden+Mawson (F+M), a principal of her own practice, ‘Elsie Owusu Architects’ (EOA) and a registered Specialist Conservation Architect. A former board member of Arts Council England and the National Trust of England, Elsie’s main interests are contemporary architecture, city planning and how these elements connect with visual arts.

For F+M, she was lead architect for interiors on the UK Supreme Court and lead masterplanner for Green Park Station, London. Elsie has wide-ranging expertise on urban planning, transport and infrastructure. With EOA, she has completed designs for public transport systems in Lagos, Nigeria and Accra and is currently designing a new city hall in Kumasi, Ghana.

Bim Adewunmi (host)

has been a journalist for the last decade. She is currently the culture editor at BuzzFeed UK, where she has written on topics such as the conformity of YouTube beauty videos, the greatest love stories of the British small screen and the lack of empathy non-black readers and consumers of popular culture feel towards black women. She also commissions longform personal essays for the Ideas section.

She was previously a feature writer for the Guardian. Her last role there was as women’s editor and she currently still writes the Crush column in the Guardian Weekend Magazine. Her work has appeared in Monocle, ARISE magazine, The Independent, Grazia, Mslexia among others. She is a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4 programmes Front Row, Broadcasting House, Woman’s Hour and Saturday Review among others.

Bim is interested in popular culture, particularly the points at which it intersects with race, gender, sexuality and other “isms”. She is currently working on a collection of essays.

L’Oreal HQ202 Hammersmith RoadLondon W6 8AZ

Come see these phenomenal, trailblazing women tell their stories of triumph, the obstacles they’ve overcome and the sisterhood they’re a part of. Come and see their POSSIBLE and ultimately, realise yours.

Our successful, international event series, the I’mPOSSIBLE conversation powered by Mizani and supported by Pearson, turned four last week and hosted a stellar panel of trailblazing women of colour who have wholly, defined success on their own terms.

Speaking to a packed room, the panellists shared their deepest insights into their life journeys, lessons learned and what keeps them motivated. The magic that was manifested with women from all walks of life coming together to hear from this dynamic group of women was ‘on fleek’. Ensuring all who came, walked out a bit taller, more focused and more empowered than when they entered.

Jessica Osunsami from Mizani UK commented:

“Another inspirational I’mPOSSIBLE conversation – I challenge any woman not to feel empowered when filled with a room of intellectual and charismatic professional women. Mizani were proud to continue powering the conversations for a 4th year, we feel the conversations and the women in attendance perfectly embody our values and spirit.“

Abu Bundu-Kamara,Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Pearson for EMEA & APAC from Pearson plc said:

“Pearson is incredibly proud to celebrate the fourth anniversary of the I’mPOSSIBLE Conversation and our partnership over the past six years. The I’mPOSSIBLE Conversation recognises and celebrates the remarkable achievements and talent of women of colour. Each of these individuals has demonstrated great leadership and the ability to find opportunity in uncertainty. Their success sets a powerful example of what can be achieved. On behalf of everyone at Pearson, I’d like to congratulate Simone Bresi-Ando and I’mPOSSIBLE team and I look forward to our continued partnership.“

Simone Bresi-Ando, founder of I’mPOSSIBLE commented:

“I planted this seed four years ago that the life stories and successes of women of colour could be exhalted beyond the constant noise of inaccuracy and stereotyping that this group falls foul of. Step by step, I have built a successful, international event series that uncovers women of colour who are role models, inspires the audience and panellists simultaneously as well as creating a sustainable legacy that cannot be rewritten.

I want to thank everyone, that has supported the events with their time, hardwork and dedication to ensuring this platform remains a beacon for global female excellence.“

Here’s to many more years, celebrating, upholding and uncovering women of colour who are role models!

See what the people say:

Check out our photo gallery of the event below:

The I’mPOSSIBLE conversation event series celebrates it’s fourth anniversary. All photos taken by Benedetto Photgraphy

The I’mPOSSIBLE conversation returns for it’s summer edition of 2015 and fourth anniversary on Tuesday, June 9. Powered by Mizani L’Oreal and supported by Pearson plc. the event highlights women of colour from all walks of life who are often our hidden role models and speak on their journey to being POSSIBLE.

How do we ensure that women live healthy, pleasurable, autonomous lives in their own bodies? Jessica Horn has worked for over 15 years with activists, progressive donors, researchers and the UN to develop a response. Given the historical moment and a focus on Africa, her work has necessarily been framed by responding to HIV/AIDS and the impacts of armed conflict.

Jessica’s research and analysis has been published in professional journals *The Lancet* and *Feminist Africa*, and media platforms Al Jazeera, openDemocracy and The Feminist Wire. She is the author of two monographs on the impact of Christian fundamentalism on women’s rights in Africa, and aresource guide on* Gender and Social Movements*. She is also a published poet.

Jessica is a founding member of the African Feminist Forum, board member of Urgent Action Fund-Africa and the International Grants Committee of Comic Relief. She currently works as Senior Advisor to AIR (African Institute for Integrated Responses to Violence Against Women and HIV/AIDS) at the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

Passionate about public debates on women’s rights, Jessica has been a featured speaker at Tedx Euston Salon, Women of the World and Africa Utopia festivals at London’s Southbank Centre, Africa Writes, and international conferences such as the AWID Forum and Women’s Forum for the Economy and Society.

Connie JacksonGeneral Manager, Fashion Fair

Named General Manager – UK & Europe for Fashion Fair Beauty Products Limited, the UK subsidiary of Johnson Publishing Company LLC in November 2012. Johnson Publishing is the publisher of the iconic Ebony Magazine.

Connie served as Operating Executive for Stargate Capital Investment Group (SCIG) from July 2010 until May 2013 and was responsible for increasing operating efficiency in the companies in which SCIG’s Trapezia Fund invested – the first women-focused fund backed by institutional investors in the UK. An accomplished interim executive and business advisor, previous engagements have included the start-up of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women and merger implementation for the National Health Service (NHS) in London. She served as Chief Executive of St. Bartholomew’s & The Royal London Charitable Foundation (now Barts & The London Charity) until June 2006, with oversight of the investment, administrative and regulatory functions of the Foundation and its £200 million endowment.

Prior to coming to the UK in 2002, Connie served as President & CEO of TCA Health, Inc., a health and social care organisation in Chicago, Illinois, USA, founded by her mother – a family practice physician. She was instrumental in raising government and philanthropic funding to support capital and operational expansion for TCA. She joined TCA after several years in raising capital funding for the development of several public/private partnerships, in positions with Credit Suisse First Boston, the cities of Chicago and New York and LaSalle Partners Asset Management (now Jones Lang LaSalle).

She is a magna cum laude graduate of Fisk University (USA) in Economics, where she was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa honours society. She has a graduate diploma from the London School of Economics and a MBA from Harvard University. Connie is actively involved in several civic activities, including serving as Chair of the Soup Kitchen of the American Church in London and as a governor of Goodenough College.

Lynette NylanderManaging editor, i-D Magazine

Born on the outskirts of London, 25 year-old Lynette Nylander, is the managing editor of i-D magazine and has always been interested in personal style, brands and culture.

Excelling at all things creative, she spent her formative years learning musical instruments, studying for her distinctions from the Guildhall School of Speech and Drama. At 14, she won an AOL writing competition and was published to its global users. At 18, she obtained a place at the revered London College of Fashion studying Fashion Design and Marketing and interning with PR powerhouse Mandi Lennard for events for Alexander Wang, Supreme, Giles Deacon and Mattel. She then started her career in earnest, working for global fashion and entertainment and marketing firm, ‘Independent Talent Brands’. She then embarked on a career in editorial, joining the masthead at INDUSTRIE Magazine where she worked with the likes of photographers Inez and Vinoodh, Alasdair McLellan and Juergen Teller, models Joan Smalls and Cara Delavigne and writing features on Lara Stone and Emily Weiss. After three years, she rose from editorial co-ordinator to Managing Editor.

In 2014, she joined the iconic i-D magazine as Managing Editor for both print and online, which now boasts 5.2 million unique users. She has also interviewed the likes of Vivienne Westwood, Christopher Shannon, Nykhor Paul, Christiaan Houtenbos and more at her time for the magazine.

Lynette also contributes to other publications such as HighSnobiety, Humanity Magazine, INDUSTRIE as well as consulting for both upcoming and established brands and publications and lives and works in London.

Remi OlajoyegbeEntrepreneur

With a CV including titles as diverse as investment banker, pub landlord and business and executive talent coach, Remi Aruna Olajoyegbe is an impressive and entrepreneurial lady. Dynamic, straight talking and goal oriented, she means business.

The younger of two children from an unusual mixed cultural heritage, she is half Assamese and half Nigerian. Remi grew up and was schooled in London. She holds a masters degree in Social Research and Anthropology from LSE. She was recruited by Goldman Sachs where she rose to lead the Equity Capital Markets Syndicate Group. Capitalising on her mixed race Indian and African background, she then went on to specialise in emerging markets, as a Managing Director and Global Head of Equity Syndicate for Renaissance Capital at the tender age of 33. In her ten plus year career she raised over £200bn for hundreds of companies globally.

In late 2008, she was voted one of the Top 100 influential women in European Finance and named one of Financial News’ 100 rising stars, a survey that chooses men and women under 40 who are on the path to reaching the very top of their professions.

Despite an all-encompassing financial career, Remi still found time to nurture a few of her many passions. Firstly, food and interior design: in 2004 together with two friends she bought and renovated two pubs in South East London. The Palmerston is now a multi award winning gastro pub.

Remi also joined a local charity, Peckham Shed which is an inclusive theatre company, working with children aged 7-17 with mixed learning and physical abilities. She fulfilled duties as a long standing board member and also a workshop mentor to children aged 7-11. This allowed her to combine her on going love for the performing arts, personal development and people in a hands-on and practical way.

In recent years she has devoted more time to her entrepreneurial endeavours and focuses most of her time working as a business, executive and life coach using her wealth of experience to help others set and achieve a variety of goals.

Marverine Cole (host)Presenter

Has worked for many of Britain’s most watched and listened to broadcasters in the last 20 years of her career in the media. As an Award-winning Journalist, she’s anchored hundreds of hours of live TV news for the BBC, ITV & Sky News. She’s also now a trusted face of Britain’s biggest and most successful shopping channels, QVC. She’s the first-ever, black female presenter in their main line-up in the channel’s 22-year history.

Her Presenter blog get 30,000 unique hits a month. It’s one of the most challenging TV jobs around: working live, and unscripted, without autocue. The channel reaches 26m households every day and Marverine works with big name brands like Apple, Sony and Dyson and she frequently interviews household names like Dame Joan Collins and Lulu.

Marverine’s commitment to the development of talent in the media industry is strong: over the last decade she’s inspired, mentored and taught countless aspiring journalists and media professionals. After a hard day’s work in front of the TV camera, Marverine loves nothing better than a trip down the pub for a few beers. Classed as one of Britain’s leading female experts about beer, she’s a qualified Beer Sommelier!

WoW (Women of the World) is a festival of talks, debates, music, film and comedy celebrating women which takes place this year from March 1 – 8 at the Southbank Centre. The I’mPOSSIBLE conversation returns to the festival after it’s successful debut in 2013 with a stellar panel to talk about I’mPOSSIBLE women in the world of work and entrepreneurship.

Angie Le Mar is a comedian, actor and writer. She has played at New York’s legendary Harlem Apollo Theatre, made history with the first ever sell-out show by a black female comedian at London’s West End and has written several critically acclaimed box office hits, including The Brothers, Funny Black Women on the Edge, and Forty. Her TV work includes roles in Channel 4’sRun and Get Up, Stand Up, BBC’s the Real McCoy and talk show Ladies Talk on Vox Africa. As a radio and TV host she has interviewed notable people, such as activist Maya Angelou, actors Idris Elba and Whoopi Goldberg, and musicians Stevie Wonder, John Legend and Mary J Blige.

Entrepreneur Sade Salami is the founder of events management company Fresh Strawberry. She is committed to championing diversity awareness through events and initiatives. Her recent web series Status London shone a light on eight ambitious black British entrepreneurs, and she has worked in-house at Google to produce the tech giant’s Top Black Talent programme, responsible for providing opportunities to thousands of promising graduates throughout the UK.

Michelle Watts is currently a senior manager at PwC, where she leads a strategic bid team within the consulting practice. She previously spent six years at Ernst & Young (EY) in the business development team for Europe, Middle East, India and Africa, and also chaired the EY Black Network from 2010 to 2013. Michelle has had a diverse, global career path, which includes experiences in the private, public and non-for-profit sectors. She spent three years working in New York for PR agency Hill+Knowlton, and most recently spent a year working for EY in South Africa. In 2011, Michelle took a five month sabbatical from work to travel and published an e-book guide for anyone wishing to design their own career breaks.

WoW runs from Sunday 1 to Sunday 8 March but, the main focus takes place over three days (Friday 6 March to Sunday 8 March). It is made up of many events and performances held at different times throughout the day.

To attend the event, you’ll need to either buy a day pass for the festival or a WoW weekend pass which will both give you access to all the events happening that day or within the weekend.

Really hope to see you.

Come be inspired by women of colour who define success on their own terms.

On Thursday, January 29, 2015, I’mPOSSIBLE with Diane Abbott MP and Culture Kinetica hosted a special screening of ‘Selma‘ with a Q&A from director, Ava DuVernay at the House of Commons.

Ava spoke with us about her work, her vision, her process and her passion for making the movies she does. The audience was made up of film enthusiasts, celebs, fans, the curious and members of the political class. A few to name were Baroness Lawrence, Auma Obama (Barack Obama’s half-sister), legendary British actress, Dona Croll and the Floacist (Natalie Stewart), one half of Grammy award-winning group Floetry.

The Golden Globe award winning and Oscar nominated biopic; ‘Selma‘ is the epic story of Dr Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic struggle to secure voting rights for African-Americans. Led by Brit actor, David Oyelowo as King supported by Carmen Ejogo (Coretta King), starring Oprah Winfrey (who is also executive producer) and the esteemed, Tim Roth – this film tells the historic journey through refreshing eyes.

Ava urged us to support the film as our opportunities for people of colour to see themselves central to their own narratives on their terms, directed by a woman of colour would not come again if we didn’t financially support the film on opening weekend. A member of the audience further added that Vue cinema in Westfield London (Shepherd’s Bush) is the most important cinema to see any film as that’s where box office takings are counted for the UK. See the empassioned video below:

Video courtesy of Eliza Anywangwe

Creating Her-Story in the heart of UK government for people of colour globally, was the moment when Ava DuVernay came to the House of Commons to talk about Selma. Salute to all the POSSIBLE women around the world.

2014 – the year that was, showed us some brilliant ways that women of colour can protect, change, disrupt and create this world to make it better for all. Their efforts have helped us all feel more safer, exposed to another narrative alternative to the mainstream and ultimately, they did it on their terms.
Last year also showed us celebrities trying to ‘break the internet’ to maintain their relevance, thousands of people worldwide throwing ice cold water on themselves for charity and on a more moral tip, our collective social conscious, being re-awakened, to demand for imbalances to be levelled. 2014 was a ride and 2015 is looking like it will pose some hard and clear questions to us all on what we want as a society, how we want all communities treated and what we will no longer stand for. It will, at the very least, be interesting.

So how did women of colour fare in 2014, lets take a look:

In the world of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics):Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock the most positively infectious and empowering science brain Black female Britain has produced. Since February 2014 she took over hosting the legendary BBC programme ‘The Sky At Night‘ after Patrick Moore who hosted the show for 56 years! Dr Maggie really does embody the hashtag #BlackGirlsAreFromTheFuture.

In business:Melanie Eusebe, former Ernst & Young management consultant founded and launched the first Black British Business Awards in October. Highlighting the economic impact and influence Black British people have had on the economy that often gets ignored. Margaret Casely-Hayford a British legal legend walked away with the Black British Business Person of the Year at the awards a month after she retired from her role as head of legal and company secretary for the John Lewis group. Margaret is now Chairman of Action Aid UK. In November, Karen Blackett OBE, CEO of MediaCom topped the Powerlist which details Black British leaders in all parts of society.

Health:
Heroic Dr Stella Ameyo Adadevoh, who paid the ultimate price with her life by saving others from Ebola. Dr Adadevoh was the Nigerian doctor who oversaw the treatment of Liberian, Patrick Sawyer who brought the Ebola virus to Nigeria. She was infected by him and tragically died in August. Without her dedication, expertise and selflessness, Nigeria could not have become ‘Ebola-free’ in the time it did. Her actions and life need to be celebrated and revered.

In societal change:
Birmingham based Sara Myers created the petition to get the controversial art work; ‘Exhibit B’ withdrawn from the Barbican. She was able to get just under 23,000 people from all walks of life,to sign the petition for the art work to be withdrawn. Leading an impassioned campaign, she helped to highlight the missing ownership that people of colour want over their history and imagery she raised important questions around diversity in the arts and who are the decision makers and who gets access.

L-R: Synead Nichols and Umaara Elliott, Millions March NYC founders

Across the pond, Umaara Elliott and Synead Nichols, two young women brought 50,000 people to the streets of New York for the ‘Millions March‘ to protest against police brutality across the US. The struggle continues but it was inspiring to see people, particularly the young, from diverse backgrounds, show their solidarity and desire for equality, for all sections of society.

It’s amazing what these three women have accomplished in 2014 with just the willpower of their gut instinct and sense of what’s right for humanity and passion.

In popular culture:Azaelia Banks. You need a full stop after that name because the point has been made! This young woman gave an emotional interview to Hot 97 in December, highlighting the very harsh realities of the music industry, how racism, sexism and ignorance alters what we rate the best as music consumers and much more. Although her delivery is somewhat controversial and can easily offend, I’m yet to find one of her statements about the industry untrue. The truth can often be brutal but at the same time cleansing. It is easy to vilify it, as it contradicts everything you thought of the world, the people you idolised and ultimately yourself. Seeing a woman of colour be so vulnerable, passionate and articulate about her experience in this world on a public platform was refreshing. More please!

Solange Knowles-Ferguson simply for having the coolest wedding ever (pictured above)! Solange and Alan showed us the true meaning of an alternative wedding – tastefully done and full of love, friends and family, the right ingredients for the perfect day. We can’t believe its the same girl who was filmed beating Jay-Z in a lift a few months before! We heart Solange and all her quirky Blackness. We love that she expands exactly what it means and looks like for a woman of colour to understand her place in the world.

Film and TV:Lupita Nyong’o(pictured below), Oscar winner, style icon, bright colour wearer, short afro innovator, classical beauty reinvented. Oh, and she’s got a brain! She uses it for good and to boot is a brilliant actress.

Lupita Nyong’o at 2014Golden Globes

Bola Agbaje and Destiny Eghara – both responsible for turning Agbaje’s Laurence Olivier award-winning first play, into a film that was released nationwide in October – ‘Gone Too Far‘. It was refreshing to see the British African experience on screen, particularly on the streets of Peckham!

Amma Asante and Gina Price-Bythewood

Women of colour directors showed us 2014 was warm-up time! Brit Amma Asante with period true story, ‘Belle’, Ava DuVernay with Martin Luther King biopic, ‘Selma’ and Gina Price-Bythewood with ‘Beyond the Lights’. Getting our stories out there on our terms is the order of the day and it’s here to stay thanks to these talented bunch.

Charlene White, ITV news presenter became the first Black woman to co-host the News At Ten. It took us until 2014, but we did it and Charlene was the one to blaze that trail also a former panellist on the first ImP convo.

Shonda Rhimes – the living embodiment of a trailblazer. Crushing stereotypes, presenting the fullness and vulnerability of Black femalehood and entertaining us, all at the same damn time! In 2014, US TV network, ABC programmed its entire Thursday primetime lineup with ShondaLand dramas ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, ‘Scandal’ and ‘How To Get Away With Murder’, then branded the night as “Thank God It’s Thursday”! We say: “Thank God for Shonda”!

Entitled ‘The Invisible majority: defining success and debunking the myths’ the survey is set to lift the lid on the lives of a dynamic group of women who often get overlooked, stereotyped or just plain ignored! We want to change that, we want to give you an authentic voice.

As we’re true to the season’s spirit, from today (December 19) we’re giving away the chance for one lucky winner to get £150 House of Fraser vouchers for completing the survey via the emailed link by 10am December 29. Winners will be announced between December 29-31, 2014, terms and conditions apply.
*Request the link by emailing: [email protected]* or take the survey here.

Survival tips for the survey:

The revolution doesn’t take 10 minutes! The survey takes an hour or so – breathe, it’s an important document because it’s about YOU. Do it in bits, do it at your leisure, but remember to DO IT.

There’s a ‘save and exit’ button at the top right hand part of the survey page, remember to click this every few pages so you don’t lose any of your answers if your computer crashes.

Filling out the survey via the link emailed to you from I’mPOSSIBLE means you can complete it from multiple devices. Filling out the survey via this website means you can only fill it out from one device. You can always save your answers no matter what method you choose.

If you fill out and complete the survey by 10am, December 29 via the link emailed to you from I’mPOSSIBLE you’ll be automatically entered into the second prize draw to win £150 House of Fraser vouchers (full info above)

Lastly, you are creating her-story, be very proud of yourself. You’re changing the game for the better.

Here it is!
The biggest demographics survey on British women of colour – ever!

Entitled ‘The Invisible majority: defining success and debunking the myths’ the survey is set to lift the lid on the lives, aspirations, habits and current economic state of women of colour in Britain.

The survey will take around an hour to complete, so get a glass of wine or cup of tea with some chocolate and start clicking.

The survey will run from 0800 November 5 – 2345 December 31, 2014 with results ready in early 2015.

There is a prize draw for those who complete the survey via a link emailed to them directly from I’mPOSSIBLE. To request this link and to be entered into the draw once you complete the survey, please email [email protected]. The prize draw runs from November 5 – December 5, 2014 inclusive with prizes ideal for Christmas that include £250 of John Lewis vouchers, a hudl tablet, Fashion Fair and Mizani deluxe gift packs and more. Winners will be announced by December 10, 2014, terms and conditions apply.